AHCA Narrowly Passes Through House Budget Committee

The Republican health care bill to repeal and replace the ACA the next roadblock after it was approved by the House Budget Committee in a close 19 – 17 vote. The committee meet to join the provisions approved last week by the House Ways and Means Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee into a single bill that can be voted one on the floor of the House.

While the committee’s 14 Democrats unanimously voted against, three conservatives across the aisle from joined them in opposing the bill– David Brat (R-VA), Gary Palmer (R-AL) and Mark Sanford (R-SC).

Conservatives are opposed to the bill want to see the Medicare expansion brought about by the ACA end before the 2020 date set in the current bill. Vice President Mike Pence is set to meet with lawmakers to discuss setting a date of 2019 instead on Thursday.

However, Moderate Republicans, especially in the Senate and from states that have expanded Medicare, are also concerned that rolling back the expansion could cause their constituents to lose coverage. This is creating doubt as to whether or not the bill can pass through the Senate, where republican control is a much narrower 52 to 48.

The next stop for the bill is the House Rules Committee. After that, it ill moves to the floor for a vote final vote. Then, it moves to the Senate, where the entire process starts over.

President Trump, in an interview on Fox News on Wednesday, said that parts of the bill will still be negotiated once it moves from the House to the Senate. He also reaffirmed his goal of having health care for everyone.

“If we’re not going to take care of the people, I’m not signing anything,” Trump said.

Top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, John Yarmouth (D-KY) said the bill was “not a health care bill; it is an ideological document,” according to Reuters.